High pressure water jet cutting apparatus

ABSTRACT

A high pressure water jet cutting apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a cutting head body having a first end configured to connect to a water line, a second end configured to connect to a nozzle, and a passageway therethrough. One or more sensors is associated with the cutting head body, and an electrical connector is coupled to the sensor. The electrical connector is configured to transmit data from the sensor to detect the occurrence of an event.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates, in part, to a high pressure water jet cutting apparatus which includes one or more sensors, and methods of use.

BACKGROUND

A conventional water jet cutting apparatus utilizes a high pressure water jet to cut through, or otherwise process, an object. A water jet cutting apparatus may be designed to cut through a variety of types of materials, such as but not limited to, steel, metal, composites, plastic, acrylic, rubber, fiberglass and glass.

A water jet cutting apparatus may include a pump configured to pressurize the water to a high pressure, a cutting head body which may include a nozzle attachment, and a cutting surface configured to provide support to the object being processed. The cutting head body may be supported by a gantry for precise control of the cutting head body. The apparatus may further include a water-filled tank positioned below the cutting surface to dissipate the energy of the water jet stream after it has cut through the object. A controller may be provided to operate the apparatus.

In some applications, an abrasive may be added to the water jet to optimize cutting. The apparatus may include a hopper to hold the abrasive material and an abrasive inlet to selectively mix the abrasive into the high pressure water.

In addition to cutting through various types of materials, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that a water jet cutting apparatus may also be used for “cleaning” applications including, but not limited to breaking down layers of materials, removing various coatings on the material, and/or other hydro-demolition applications which utilize a high pressure water jet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A high pressure water jet cutting apparatus is provided. The water jet cutting apparatus may include a cutting head body having a first end configured to connect to a water line, a second end configured to connect to a nozzle, and a passageway therethrough. The apparatus may further include a sensor associated with the cutting head body, and an electrical connector coupled to the sensor, where the electrical connector is configured to transmit data from the sensor to detect the occurrence of an event.

A method of operating a high pressure water jet cutting apparatus is provided. The method may include providing a cutting head body having a first end configured to connect to a water line, a second end configured to connect to a nozzle, and a passageway therethrough, and dispensing water through the cutting head body passageway. The method may also include sensing the occurrence of an event with a sensor associated with the cutting head body, and detecting the occurrence of an event with an electrical connector coupled to the sensor that is configured to transmit data from the sensor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating some of the components of a water jet cutting apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an assembled view of a portion of a water jet cutting apparatus according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exploded assembly view of the portion of the water jet cutting apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating exemplary data taken from a sensor according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating exemplary data taken from a sensor according to another embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating exemplary data taken from a sensor according to one embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating exemplary data taken from a sensor according to one embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating exemplary data taken from a sensor according to one embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a graph illustrating exemplary data taken from a sensor according to one embodiment; and

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the water jet cutting apparatus which includes a processing unit and a controller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is directed to various improvements in water jet cutting devices. As set forth in more detail below, the inventors have incorporated one or more sensors into the water jet cutting device/apparatus designed to provide data which may be used to detect the occurrence of an event. As discussed below, the one or more sensors may be configured to detect a variety of types of events, which may for example, be used to indicate whether the apparatus is running properly, and/or whether one of the components of the apparatus requires maintenance.

As mentioned above, a water jet cutting apparatus may be used to cut through an object with precision. In addition to traditional “cutting” applications, the water jet cutting apparatus may also be used for “cleaning” applications including, but not limited to breaking down layers of materials, removing various coatings on the material, and/or other hydro-demolition applications. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that one can modify the orifice geometry to increase water flow rate, eliminate abrasive, and/or de-focus the stream to provide a high pressure water jet cutting apparatus that is used for various “cleaning” applications. Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the terms “cutting” and “water jetting” are general terms in the industry and are generally used to refer to all of the above high pressure water jet applications.

In one embodiment, the water jet cutting apparatus incorporates a vibration sensor. As discussed more below, the vibration sensor may be used to detect the occurrence of an event, such as whether the water is flowing through the apparatus. The vibration sensor may also be used to detect whether an abrasive material is being introduced into the water jet stream.

Turning now to FIG. 1, an exemplary perspective view of a water jet cutting apparatus 10 is illustrated. The apparatus 10 includes a cutting head body 120 connected to a high pressure water inlet 34. As shown, the apparatus 10 may include a compressed air input 30 and an actuator 32 positioned above the water inlet 34, that may be configured to open and close a valve to allow the flow of pressurized water into the cutting head body 120. The object to be cut/cleaned/or otherwise processed is positioned on a cutting surface below the cutting head body 120. This particular apparatus 10 also includes an abrasive inlet 50 to selectively deliver an abrasive material into the water jet. A swivel adaptor 36 may also be provided to allow rotation of the cutting head body about the axis of the cutting stream so that one can adjust the direction of the abrasive inlet relative to the abrasive supply hose. Nozzle accessories, such as a nozzle nut 40 and a nozzle focusing tube 42, are attached to the other end of the cutting head body 120.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate one embodiment of a water jet cutting apparatus 100 which features sensing capabilities. FIG. 2 illustrates an assembled view and FIG. 3 shows an exploded assembly view. The water jet cutting apparatus 100 includes a cutting head body 120 with a first end 122 configured to connect to a water line, and a second end 124 configured to connect to a nozzle. As illustrated, the cutting head body 120 has a passageway 126 therethrough. The water line (not shown) may be coupled to a high pressure water inlet, actuator, and/or compressed air inlet (as shown in FIG. 1) to deliver high pressure water into the cutting head body. A nozzle (as shown in FIG. 1) may be coupled to the second end 124 of the cutting head body to provide the desired water jet characteristics. The cutting head body 120 may include an inlet 180 for coupling an abrasive line thereto. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the apparatus 100 may include additional conventional components of a water jet cutting apparatus.

As shown in the exploded assembly view in FIG. 3, one or more sensors 130, 132 are associated with the cutting head body 120. An electrical connector 140 is coupled to the one or more sensors, and the electrical connector 140 is configured to transmit data from the one or more sensors 130, 132 to detect the occurrence of an event. As shown, a housing 160 may couple the electrical connector 140 to the cutting head body 120. As illustrated, the housing 140 may also enclose the one or more sensors 130, 132 to protect the sensors from the surrounding environment. Wires from the one or more sensors 130, 132 may extend through the housing 140 and may attach to the electrical connector 140. The electrical connector 140 may be coupled to a controller (not shown in FIGS. 3-4) to transmit the data from the sensor. An operator of the apparatus may then be alerted to the occurrence of an event. It is also contemplated that wireless sensors may also be employed.

As shown in FIG. 3, in one embodiment, the one or more sensors 130, 132 are positioned on the cutting head body 120. In another embodiment, one or more sensors 130, 132 may be positioned in a different location, such as at upstream and/or downstream locations on the water jet cutting apparatus, including, but not limited to on the air input 30, the actuator 32, the water inlet 34, the swivel adaptor 36, and/or on the nozzle 40, 42.

In one embodiment, the sensors 130, 132 are piezoelectric sensors. The sensor 130 may be a piezoelectric sensor, Part #668-1401-ND, obtained from Digi-Key Electronics® of Thief River Falls, Minn. The other rectangular sensor 132 is an RTD (Resistance Temperature Detector) temperature sensor, part #223-1773-ND, obtained from Digi-Key Electronics® of Thief River Falls, Minn.

The inventors contemplate that the water jet cutting apparatus 100 may be configured to detect the occurrence of various different events. For example, as set forth in more detail below, in one embodiment, the apparatus is configured to detect whether water is flowing through the passageway 126. In another embodiment which utilizes an abrasive material, the apparatus is configured to detect whether an abrasive material is being introduced into the water jet. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the one or more sensors 130, 132 may be positioned on the cutting head body 120 at a location vertically proximate to the inlet 180 for an abrasive line. In another embodiment, the sensors 130, 132 may be positioned at a different location along the cutting head body 120, and/or on the water jet cutting apparatus 100.

FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating exemplary data taken from a sensor according to one embodiment. In particular, FIG. 4 shows signal strength (in dB) from a vibration sensor 130 associated with a cutting head body 120 on the vertical axis as a function of time. As shown, the vibration sensor 130 can be used to detect whether the water is on/off and also whether the abrasive is on/off. As shown in this graph, data from the vibration sensor can indicate the difference in sound quality between the normal cutting process and the cutting process where the abrasive material has stopped being applied. In this figure, louder noises are indicated by taller waveforms.

FIG. 5 is another graph illustrating exemplary data taken from a sensor according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 is a spectrograph illustrating the frequency response on the vertical axis as a function of time. As shown, there is more activity in a given frequency range on the graph when the water is on in comparison to when the water is off.

FIGS. 6 and 7 also illustrate exemplary data taken from a sensor according to one embodiment. The figures may represent a pattern of normal operation for a water jet cutting apparatus 100. FIG. 6 illustrates signal strength waveforms (in Hz) and FIG. 7 illustrates representative spectrographs of the recorded signal. As shown, this data taken from the vibration sensor 130 can be used to detect whether the water is on/off and also whether the abrasive is on/off. As described in more detail below, this information can be transmitted from the electrical connector 140 to a controller to assist in the operation of the apparatus.

In one embodiment, the vibration sensor 130 is capable of detecting the state of the water jet cutting apparatus (i.e. is the water on/off, and is the abrasive material on/off). As shown, there may be an amplitude spike when the water is first turned on. After the initial amplitude spike, there may be little difference between water on, and water and abrasive on. However, looking at the frequency response, patterns may emerge in different frequency ranges specific to whether the water is on, or the water and abrasive are both on.

In one embodiment, the apparatus 100 may be configured to take an input of this data and filter noise out, maintaining just the useful frequencies to determine the state of the apparatus. For example, FIG. 8 illustrates a graph with additional exemplary data taken from a sensor according to one embodiment. Looking at just the frequency range from 9.25 kHz to 10.5 kHz, the amplitude increases greatly when the abrasive is flowing through the cutting head body 120. However, the amplitude may not be greatly affected by whether the water is on or off. As shown in FIG. 9, by removing all the frequency except for the band from 1.8 kHz to 2.7 kHz, it may become clear that the amplitude in this frequency range is high when water is flowing through the cutting head body 120, and low when there is no water flowing through the cutting head body 120.

Thus, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to receiving data/input and filtering the necessary frequencies to determine the state of the water jet cutting apparatus (i.e. off, water on, abrasive and water on, etc). FIG. 10 illustrates a block diagram of the apparatus according to one embodiment. The apparatus may include one or more sensors 130, 132 that transmit data to an electrical connector 140. As shown in FIG. 10, a processing unit 200 may be coupled to the electrical connector 140 and the processing unit 200 may be in communication with a controller 300. The controller 300 may verify that the actual state of the cutting head body 120 (as detected through the data received from the sensors 130, 132) matches the commanded state from the controller 300. A mismatch may indicate an error/fault condition. Thus, the apparatus may be configured such that if the controller 300 detects that the value are different, the apparatus may be paused and/or shut off, and/or the operator of the apparatus may be notified of the fault.

As mentioned above, in one embodiment the apparatus may include a temperature sensor 132 position on the cutting head body 120 configured to detect the temperature of the cutting head body 120. The temperature of the cutting head body is typically within a range between about 20-60° C. The temperature sensor 132 may be used to detect whether the temperature of the cutting head body 120 is above a threshold temperature of 50° C., 60° C., 70° C. or 80° C. For example, if the temperature is above 85° C., it may be an indication that an operator needs to tighten one or more fittings throughout the apparatus and/or a fitting should be replaced. In other words, a loose or worn out fitting may create more friction in the line which in turn creates more heat increasing the temperature of the water jet. One of ordinary skill in the art will also recognize that the temperature sensor 132 may also be utilized to detect a leak in the apparatus, and/or may be used to detect if one or more components of the apparatus may require maintenance, for example, a blockage in the water supply.

As mentioned above, the water jet cutting apparatus employs a high pressure water jet to cut, clean, process, and/or otherwise modify an object. In one embodiment, the apparatus is configured to dispense a water jet with a pressure of at least 40,000 psi. In another embodiment, the apparatus is configured to dispense a water jet with a pressure of at least 60,000 psi. In one embodiment, the apparatus is configured to dispense a water jet with a pressure between 40,000 psi-90,000 psi.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the functions and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto; the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. The present invention is directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present invention.

All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.

The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”

The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified, unless clearly indicated to the contrary.

All references, patents and patent applications and publications that are cited or referred to in this application are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A high pressure water jet cutting apparatus comprising: a cutting head body having a first end configured to connect to a water line, a second end configured to connect to a nozzle, and a passageway therethrough; a sensor associated with the cutting head body; and an electrical connector coupled to the sensor, the electrical connector configured to transmit data from the sensor to detect the occurrence of an event.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a piezoelectric sensor.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a vibration sensor.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cutting head body further comprises an inlet for introducing an abrasive material, wherein the inlet is positioned on the cutting head body between the first end and the second end, and wherein the apparatus is configured to detect whether an abrasive material is being introduced into the cutting head body.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured to detect whether water is flowing through the passageway.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor and wherein the apparatus is configured to detect whether the temperature of the cutting head body is above a threshold temperature which indicates the apparatus requires maintenance.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor associated with the cutting head body includes a first sensor and a second sensor, wherein the first sensor is a vibration sensor and the second sensor is a temperature sensor.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to dispense a water jet with a pressure of at least 40,000 psi.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to dispense a water jet with a pressure between 40,000 psi-90,000 psi.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first end of the cutting head body has a threaded connection to couple the cutting head body to a water line.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second end of the cutting head body has a threaded connection to couple the cutting head body to a nozzle.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing coupling the electrical connector to the cutting head body, wherein the housing encloses the sensor.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is positioned on the cutting head body.
 14. A method of operating a high pressure water jet cutting apparatus, the method comprising: providing a cutting head body having a first end configured to connect to a water line, a second end configured to connect to a nozzle, and a passageway therethrough; dispensing water through the cutting head body passageway; sensing the occurrence of an event with a sensor associated with the cutting head body; and detecting the occurrence of an event with an electrical connector coupled to the sensor that is configured to transmit data from the sensor.
 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: introducing an abrasive into the cutting head body; and wherein the sensor is a vibration sensor, and wherein the detecting the occurrence of an event includes detecting whether an abrasive material is being introduced into the cutting head body.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor is a vibration sensor, and wherein the detecting the occurrence of an event includes detecting whether water is flowing through the passageway.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor, and wherein the detecting the occurrence of an event includes detecting whether the temperature of the cutting head body is above a threshold temperature which indicates the apparatus requires maintenance. 